The Andhra Pradesh government began distribution of social security pensions on Wednesday.
Deputy Chief Minister Budi Mutyala Naidu, who also holds the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development portfolio, said that the volunteers covered 48.27% of the total beneficiaries by 8 a.m. and pensions worth ₹744.02 crore were handed over to 29.32 lakh beneficiaries.
The volunteers distributed pensions to 81.66% of the total beneficiaries by 5 p.m. and 49.61 lakh pensioners received their pensions worth ₹1260.66 crore, he said.
The government has released ₹1543.80 crore towards the YSR Pension Kanuka and 60.75 lakh people would be benefited under the scheme, he said.
Real Time Beneficiary Identification System (RBIS) is being used for authentication of pensioners. If both systems—biometric and RBIS—fail to recognise a beneficiary, the authorised biometric of the family members of the pensioner would be considered, the Minister said.
The social security pensions are being given to elderly persons, widows, toddy tappers, weavers, single women, fishermen, ART (PLHIV) persons , traditional cobblers, disabled persons, transgenders and Dappu artists.
